Viva Italia! — Festa Italiana returns for 18th year

Thursday

Oct 5, 2017 at 5:57 PMOct 5, 2017 at 5:57 PM

Chance Hoenerchoener@morningsun.net

FRONTENAC — Since 1999, fall in Frontenac has meant Italian food, wine, music and raising money for education.

Festa Italiana was created by the Frontenac Education Foundation to provide scholarships to graduating seniors of Frontenac High School. The event offers food sampling, fun for children, live music and more. And it all returns Saturday.

Last year, Festa raised nearly $40,000 for senior scholarships. A scholarship is given to each graduating senior — potentially for multiple years.

“All proceeds from Festa go toward scholarships for seniors,” Frontenac Education Foundation President Ann Brown said. “Each graduating senior receives a $150 scholarship each semester they are enrolled in some form of post-secondary education.”

Gates for Festa open at 4:45 p.m. Saturday. Food and wine tasting will begin at 5 p.m. The children’s fun zone will be open from 6 to 9 p.m., with a live auction beginning at 6 p.m. From 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. live music will be provided by The Tippers from Kansas City. Frontenac graduate Leah Marie will perform before at 5 p.m.

Other entertainment will also take place.

“At 7 p.m. some of the Frontenac High School senior class are going to have a cannoli eating contest,” Brown said. “That is always a lot of fun.”

Tickets can be purchased at several locations around Frontenac, including Labette Bank, Raider Express, Shooter’s, Pickled Pete’s, Frontenac City Hall and Community National Bank of Frontenac. Ticket books cost $10 each and include tickets for five food samples.

— Chance Hoener is a staff writer for the Morning Sun. He can be emailed at choener@morningsun.net or follow him on Twitter @ReporterChance.